Bask in the Glory of These Drool-Worthy Dahlias

Think dahlias are for grannies? Think again. Here are 50 jaw-dropping varieties that will knock your socks off

Written by Johanna Silver March 6, 2013

Dahlias are beloved by grannies, but you know what? Sometimes your grandma is onto something—bold plants are back in a big way. These bodacious blossoms are a cinch to grow, look exquisite in bouquets, and like chrysanthemums, come in an astonishing array of colors and more than two dozen forms — there are literally hundreds of dahlia varieties to choose from. They’ve never been more modern, as far as we’re concerned. With just a little bit of effort, you can grow these stunners in your own garden, too. 

Planting and growing dahlias is pretty straightforward, once you pick the proper site. They mostly just need a sunny site with well-drained soil, and support for when they get tall. Unless you live in an area where the ground freezes, you can simply mulch with straw in the fall and leave them in the ground. In colder areas, lift and store the tubers once first frost hits. 

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‘Awe Shucks’

The 4-inch-wide blooms of soft yellow have random patterns of red striping all along the petals.

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‘Kasasagi’

We’re not sure what the name means, but we’ll take it. A showy pompon with 2-inch-wide flowers.

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‘Red Pigmy’

The 4-inch-wide blooms on this semi-cactus variety are a deep red that holds its color well.
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‘Prince Charming’

This straight cactus dahlia is definitely our knight in shining armor. The white blossoms are 4 inches wide, while the plant reaches only 2 feet tall.

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‘Little Blessings’

This formal decorative dahlia’s compact size—only 12 inches tall—makes it ideal for containers.

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‘Stella’

The 1-inch-wide, single-variety dahlia produces velvet red blooms that are a bee magnet in the garden.
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‘Bitsy’

The plant might be compact at only 18 inches, but the blooms cloak it entirely for an anything-but-bitsy display.

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‘Border Choice’

As its name suggests, this plant is perfect for a hedge or border. Here’s why: it grows to 2 feet tall and is dripping with bright red, 3-inch-wide blooms. Introduced in 1975, this dahlia is a dwarf formal decorative form.
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‘Lemon Tart’

The sharp yellow blossoms on this semi-cactus dahlia are 5 inches wide, and make a terrific cut flower.
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‘Crichton Honey’

This exquisite ball-form dahlia produces apricot-bronze blooms measuring 4 inches in diameter, making this one an arranger’s dream.
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‘Bonne Esperance’

The blossoms might not be as flashy as some (the single form dahlia variety is just like that), but the 12-inch-tall bush is as sweet as can be.
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‘Crossfield Ebony’

We find perfection in this pompon, whose black-red has us hooked. Blossoms measure 1½ inches across, resembling teeny versions of red pinecone ginger.
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‘China Doll’

So delicate, it had us fooled for porcelain! This dwarf dahlia reaches only 18 inches tall yet produces blooms that are 4 inches wide.

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‘Hulin’s Carnival’

It’s a party in each petal: white, 4-inch-wide blooms are spattered with burgundy-purple, as though someone sloshed their cabernet.
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‘Park Princess’

We love the bright pink, 4-inch-wide blooms of this straight cactus. Highly recommended as a cut flower.

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‘Checkers’

It's eye-catching, for sure, with 4-inch-wide, deep burgundy blooms tipped in white that scream "king me."
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‘Little Missy’

Miniature pink lotus-like blossoms cover this bushy, semicactus-type dahlia.
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‘Mz. Bee Haven’

We love this adorable collarette dahlia, bad behavior and all. Blooms are 3 inches wide, and the bush is 2 feet tall.

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‘Ginger Willo’

Introduced in the late 1980s (when bright colors and neons were very in), this pompom dahlia is one hot little fireball.
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‘Mary Munns’

The spherical arrangement of petals on each 2-inch-wide pompon has us hypnotized.

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‘Bed Head’

This crazy semicactus variety is some serious #wokeuplikethis goals. The 4-inch blooms are a vibrant orange, with an occasional red streak, and the petals are every which way.
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‘Frank Holmes’

You’ve got to be kidding us with the delicate folds of each petal. Blooms are 1½ inches wide and a seductive shade of lavender.

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‘Spellbreaker’

Bright raspberry pompoms, measuring 3 inches wide, brighten up any garden.
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‘White Nettie’

We adore the creamy white blooms that measure just 2½ inches wide.

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‘Rawhide’

The blooms of this waterlily dahlia are a gorgeous peach blending to yellow, with petals outlined in deep red. They're big, too--their 5 inch-wide blooms will send a whip-crack through any garden they grace.
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‘Tanjoh’

The showy white blooms on this exquisite semicactus dahlia variety measure 4 inches across and look like they’ve been dipped in deep fuchsia ink.
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‘Poppers’

Who needs fireworks on the Fourth of July if you have these in the garden? The 5-inch flowers make us feel like we've been at the disco all night.
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‘Whimsey’

The yellow petals with pink tips have us falling in love. The blooms are just 3 inches wide and hold exceptionally well when cut.

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‘Bride To Be’

So elegant! These classic white waterlily blooms measure 4 inches wide, making them a showstopper in wedding bouquets and centerpieces.
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‘Precious’

Is it soft? Is it juicy? These 3-inch-wide blooms of white blending to lavender are so irresistible, you will swear on the...on the Precious.
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‘Boogie Nites’

These luscious blooms are 5 inches wide and a true deep purple. For a good time, pair 'Boogie Nites' with 'Poppers.'
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‘Jitterbug’

The blossoms on this formal decorative type of dahlia are 2½ inches across; the salmon petals with yellow highlights make us feel like dancing.
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‘Tutti Frutti’

We’re pretty sure someone spiked the punch bowl with this one. Coral pink blooms are 5 inches wide and great as cut flowers.

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‘Snowbound’

This informal decorative dahlia has pure white flowers spanning a whopping 9 inches across on a shrub 4 feet tall, and will have you singing "do you want to build a snow man?"
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‘Flamethrower’

The petals on these 8-inch blossoms curl back slightly, resembling flames. This fiery stunner was the cover girl of our April 2013 issue.
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‘Lisa Lisa’

The 4-inch blooms can’t make up their minds between lavender and white, and we won’t make them. You'll love this one from head to toe.
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‘Maarn’

All the way from Holland, this variety has 4-inch-wide blooms shaped like balls.

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‘First Kiss’

This semi-cactus is noted for exceptionally long-lasting flowers in arrangements. They measure 4½ inches and are pink on the tips, blending to white in the center.

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‘Blah Blah Blah’

This dahlia variety has 5-inch blooms in a rare golden beige -- anything but 'Blah Blah Blah.' When we see this gorgeous ball form, all we ever do is go "ya ya ya."
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‘Hot Rod’

"Vroom vroom!" We'd like to take this fiery anemone-form dahlia variety for a spin. Its deep orange blossoms measure 5 inches across.
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‘Gabrielle Marie’

Blooms are 5 inches across in a rich apricot with lavender blush undertones.

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‘Honka’

We love this lightly scented orchid-flowering variety; with 3-inch-wide blooms on a bush reaching 3 feet tall, it's a Honka Honka burnin' love. Spinoff variety 'Honka Fragile' has the same form and subtle fragrance, but blooms white with a razor-thin edge of purple on the petals.
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‘Brittany Rey’

Swan Island Dahlias calls this one sassy, and we agree! Blooms measure 5 inches across.

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‘Juul’s Allstar’

The 2½-foot-tall bush covers itself in orchid-flowering blooms that are fuchsia with a bright yellow center.

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‘Cheyenne’

The 6-inch blooms are bright red with a touch of yellow. Deeply laciniated petals make this dahlia a showstopper.

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‘Crazy Legs’

Here's a gorgeous stellar-type that has nice foliage to go with those incredible flowers. The 3-inch-wide blooms of burnt apricot with red undersides are giving us a serious case of the jitters.
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‘Twilite’

No, it’s not a coneflower. It's an anemone-flowered dahlia with a pincushion center. Blooms 4 inches wide cover a bush 4 feet tall.

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‘Redd Devil’

The straight cactus blooms are 4 inches wide and have wonderful stems for cutting. The plant reaches 4½ feet tall.

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‘Bluetiful’

Because true blue doesn’t exist (yet), we’ll settle for periwinkle. Blooms stand out at 6 inches across.    
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‘El Sol’

¡Dios mío! The phenomenal variegated blooms on 'El Sol' -- up to 12 inches wide on a 4½-foot-tall plant -- would turn even a vampire into a sun-worshipper. Want to learn more about the dahlia varieties you see here? Think about joining a local chapter of the American Dahlia Society.
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